The Wageworker. (Lincoln, Neb.) 1904-????, December 02, 1910, Image 9

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bartenders," but other trades, which have to do with the furnish
ing and maintenance of saloons and breweries are committed
against; the national fight for prohibition. To them it is not a
matter of sentiment,' but one of economic interest.
But it is a toss-up as to which side would win in a clear cut
fight. Some of the most powerful leaders in the federation ; are
known to be opposed to the saloon and they are not afraid to say
so. ' On Sunday several of them preached in prominent St. Louis
pulpits, where they gave strong utterance to strong anti-saloon
sentiments.
To-help along the discussion, Archbishop Glennon preached a
special sermon to the Catholic delegates, in which he said that
barroom thinkers are the enemies of labor. He said that the
greatest ravages of the saloon are among the laboring classes.
Among those who listened to the archbishop's address were dele-
: gates from the bartenders' and the brewery workers' interna
tionals, who afterward said that they did not get very much com
fort out of his sermon.
When the fraternal delegates from the British Trades con
gress made their addresses, Ben Turner gave the delegates a jolt, .
as he spoke enthusiastically of a temperance society in Great
BriJan exclusively for "walking delegates," which comprises
aracrig its membership representatives of one-half the trades
unionists in England. This society has becomeso powerful that
it practically dominates the trades union movement in Great
- Britain.
Sixteen of the labor members of parliament are vice presi
dents and each year, in connection with the annual meeting of
the British Trades congress, a temperance mass meeting is held
under the auspices of the "Trades Union Officials' Temperance
Fellowship" that is the official name of the organization. Its
principal object is to secure meeting places for trades unions
which shall be free from the influence of the saloon, and inmber
ship is conditioned upon total abstinence. " . ,
Whether or not such an organization is possible in America
would keep one guessing until it were tried. But the American
Federation of Labor has at three consecutive conventions declared
unanimously in favor of pulling all labor union meetings out of
saloons. Many internationals will not permit their locals to meet
back of or over saloons, and several will not pay sick or death
benefits if the member was injured or killed while intoxicated.
In many American cities there are labor temples owned and
controlled by , the trades unions. In practically every instance
there is a clause in the articles of incorporation which prohibits
, the selling- or the use of intoxicants in any part of the building.
That's going some for a bunch of trades unionists, because you can
find scarcely any other organization which would thus restrict it
self in the matter of intoxicants.
It has been an interesting study to note the effect'of the St.
Louis meeting upon the delegates in the matter of indulging in
strong drink. St. Louis is not a dry town by any means. Further
more, one of the big brewers gave $1,000 toward entertaining the
convention. He had the delegates taken out to his brewery that
is most of them. Then the local committee provided a hall for the
daily sessions of the convention, which is about three miles from
the hotels so that it has been impossible to return for the' noon?
1 day meal, which necessitated the patronage of a restaurant run by
a saloon in the same building in which the convention is being held.
Just outside the door there are saloons on either side, with big
banners spread across the street, inviting the delegates to make
them their headquarters.
' Sothere are saloons on every side of them but here is the in
teresting and satisfactory, thing about the whole business there
has not been a sign of any delegate drinking to excess. This could
not have been said a few short years ago.
The general tendency of the. prof essional labor man today is
-decidedly toward more temperate living. And I would miss my
guess if the temperance proposition should come up at this conven-tion-to
find that the rielegatest voted in favor of the saloon.
There was just a hint the; other day as to how things would
go. Just before the federation began its convention, the label
. trades department held its annual masting. The president of this
department is John B. Lennon, treasurer of the federation, and a
strong anti-saloon advocate. The brewery workers, coopers and
bakers introduced a re33lation with a lo.ig praimbb, which stated
that whereas President Lennon had been making anti-salcon
speeches, "thereby injuring the; interest of affiliated unions," be
it resolved, that "No officer of the label trades department shall
bpermitted o false part in any movement which is injuring any
affiliated organization." '
The comibittfe.vto which the entire matter was referred re
ported that the resolution would interfere with a man's inalienable
- rights, and noina?Tfiseds to surrender his personal liberty by the
mere f act'of r his'bCdmirfg a tradesunionist. - ;
The sixtjr delegates present voted; :f if ty-two-to eight, in far cr
r$f "the "cbnmiitts'teport. JAnd that is the last that has been
heard officially from the delegates favoring the saloon proposition.